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Matthew Paul

lives in Rotherham and has worked as a local government education officer since 1992. His first collection, The Evening Entertainment, was published by Eyewear in 2017. He is also the author of two haiku collections, The Regulars (2006) and The Lammas Lands (2015), and co-writer / editor (with John Barlow) of Wing Beats: British Birds in Haiku (2008), all published by Snapshot Press. He co-edited Presence haiku journal, has contributed to the Guardian’s ‘Country Diary’ column, and reviews poetry pamphlets for Sphinx. Matthew Paul’s blog is here.

    In those days, robbery was my form of love

    In those days, robbery was my form of love

    Matthew Paul reviews The Ayrshire Nestling by Gerry Cambridge (Tringa Press, 2024)
    Book cover showing a black background with a watercolour of a hawthorn branch in flower.

    The haze of the otherworld

    Matthew Paul reviews The Hawthorn Bride by Victoria Gatehouse (Indigo Dreams, 2024)
    Black and white photo showing three policemen with riot helmets on a Northern backstreet.

    STRIKE is a fist beating fast

    Matthew Paul reviews STRIKE by Sarah Wimbush (Stairwell Books, 2024)
    A wooden sculpture hung on an old blue wooden plank door. The brown, roughly heart shaped and has a light blue circle in the centre crossed with what look like laces.

    Holiday in Barlovia

    Matthew Paul reviews A Land Between Borders by Mike Barlow (Templar Poetry, 2023)
    A photograph of a small house, painted half blue and half yellow. The porch is red.

    If Tarring Neville was not a village but a procedure

    Matthew Paul reviews Instead of an Alibi by Geoff Hattersley (Broken Sleep Books, 2023)
    Some black and white text (part of the book title) on a red background. For extra 'artistic design' points the text lines are slanted diagonally.

    Duster Bennett live at Frank Freeman’s

    Matthew Paul reviews New and Selected Poems by Cliff Yates (Smith|Doorstop, 2023)
    Pen and ink slightly washed out picture of a man's face.

    The weight of history

    Matthew Paul reviews Selected Poems 1983–2023 by Ian Parks (Calder Valley Poetry, 2023)
    Three piles of stones on the seashore. Five stones, seven stones, and then five stones. Haiku innit.

    What I think about when I think about English-Language Haiku

    On form, spirit and resonance: an essay with three commentaries by Matthew Paul
    Slightly blurred mostly blue picture of a white lighthouse on the end of a pier.

    Life and love

    Matthew Paul reviews Lanyard by Peter Samson (Carcanet, 2022)
    Some mangoes in a basket, and one loose on some large yellowish rocks

    The grief I cast is for me

    Matthew Paul celebrates the life and poetry of Ted Walker
    What does Matthew Paul say?

    What does Matthew Paul say?

    I had a succession of very engaging English teachers. For 'A' level, our texts included Robert Lowell and Donne, both of whom I really enjoyed ...
    a green lawn close up with some bowling balls on it , a red flash on the top left corner reads "The Worlds finest bowls"

    Considering the effects

    Matthew Paul looks at poems featuring bowls by Stephen Payne, Pauline Stainer and Ted Walker
    The three pamphlet covers, Sarah's is white with a green diagonal flash, Judi's has the title in a blue oval on a background pencil drawing of a river and rocks and Hugo's is the shadow of banister railings non a light brown background.

    Three pamphlets: Sarah Mnatzaganian, Judi Sutherland and Hugo Williams

    Matthew Paul reviews Lemonade in the Armenian Quarter by Sarah Mnatzaganian, Maggie Mackay reviews Following Teisa by Judi Sutherland and Hilary Menos reviews Badlands by Hugo Williams
    Black and white image of Patricia Beer, she is wearing a dark jacket and is standing in front of conifers. Her expression is knowing.

    Compassion in strange places

    Matthew Paul on the life and poetry of Patricia Beer
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    15/04/2022

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